Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-11
wAsHINGToN LETTER,
FFrom our regular eorrcsponssnt.l

fFrOm Ouf regular eorr~pontent.l -
| WASHINGTON, Aug. lst, 1887.
About the busiest man in this city al
present is the clerk of the House oi
Representatives, who Is engaged In hook
ing into and preparing the contested
Congressional election cases-the evil
dence in which must be printed before
the convening of the Fiftieth Congress;
it Is thought there will be eonly six such
cases in the body-one each from Ala
bama, South Carolina, Indiana, and Ill
inois, and two from California a much
smaller number than usual.
The Republicans in Washington
viewed with much interest, not to say
anxiety, the late meeting and action of
the Ohio Republican State Convention;
Sherman's friend feel elated over his
victory, although many of them ser
iously doubt the policy of his course in
forcing an endorsement while Blaine's
followers are ina rage and swear they
WILL get even next year by sending q
delegation from the Buckeye State ia
vorable to the aspirations of the man
from Maine. One of these infuriated
Blaineites was heard to declare that
i Sherman's action in capturing the con-
vention and shaping it, in his own in
terests was one of the, most shameless
and humiliating spectacles ever wit
messed in American politics-mOre like
the manipulation of seheming ward
politician than the deliberate condact
/ of so-called statesman, seeking the
highest and most honorable station on
earth. For once 1 am willing to hold
up this Blaine man as true exponent
of Democratic opinion on the subject
Iunder consideration so, will drop the
matter right here.
4 Probably there are few persons who
realize the tremendous task of compil-
ing and publishing the war papers
known as the "Rebellion Records" the
eighteenth volume of which has just
been printed and is ready for dstribu-
tion. This volume only takes the great
work up to the year 1862; it is calcu-
lated that all of the records will make
127 volumes and that it will not be fin
ished until late in the next century, at
a time when there will probably be not
one survivor of the civil strife it COM
memorates. "a
The total receipts from all sources of
internal revenue for the late fiscal year
Iamount to Sis, ,835, ,757, exceeding byS1,
1882, ,SSS that of the year before. There
was decrease in the tax on distilled
spirits and an increase in the tax on all
other articles, such as tobacco, oleomar-
Igerine and fermented liquors. 8 +
i (, A showing almost as good is made in
regard to the imports and exports of the
United States for the same period as fol-
lows: Exports or merchandise, $7l6,-
704, ,7S4; imports $672, ,259, ,951; excess of
exports $24, ,445, 1888; gold exported So
7Of, 1877; i'm ported $42, 2,90S, ,9O1; excess of
imports, $33, ,207, ia; silver exported,
4$26, ,276, ,5O4; imported ST., ,260, ,19l; ex-
cess of exports, Sc, ,036, ,313; total number
Of Immigrants, 483,116. n @~s
The jolly drummers have been halted
in their triumphant march by the ruling
of the Interstate Commission that the
railroads cannot legally give that fra
Iternity reduced rates, but only for a
moment, as the commercial traveller re-
alizes full we'll that at last the consum-
er of the goods he sells must pay his
expenses and so he goes on his way re-
joieing, seeking new fields of trade and
ldenouncing the Interstate Commission
as mo good" and "hollow fraud"
The drummer is irrepressible and moth
ing short of death can stop his progress
or flow of conversation. A
The Navy Department has made a
contract with the Hotchkiss Ordnance
Company, with the understanding that
branch of the mandatory will be
established in the United States. Re-
garding the enterprise Secretary Whit
ney says: 1.-THE erection of this manu-
factory will mark another era in the re-
construction of the Navy.n Continuing
the Secretary said. 'tMr. Hotchkiss was
an American when he died in 1884. En-
gland, France, Germany, Russia, Italy
every European power in fact-had an
establishment for the manufacture of
Hotchkiss' ordnance The Secretary
further declares that this country can
no longer depend upon foreign nations
| for war materials. - ~ ~
departure made in Military matters,
too, for the first time in our history, de-
tails of companies from the regular regi-
mental posts have been made to par
ticipatein the militia encampmentsan and
| Grand Army reunions in several of the
State. The unprecented demand for
the presence of regular army officers at
encampments this year shows a vigor-
GUS growth of the military spirit and an
increased interest in militia organiza-
ton. Iwonder ifthe army authorities
took the precaution to ask the permits
sion of Palsy Fairchild and Howler Tut
tie before presuming to make these de-
tails for the Southern States.
| The, President and Mrs. Cleveland
have deserted the White House and
are spending the heated term amid the
rustic ard delightful shades of Oak
View; the President drives to the
White House every day or two to tran
sact public business, but makes his stay
brief. Invitation to visit many West
and Southern cities continue to pour in
upon President Cleveland; he has ac-
cepted several of these and will 'proba-
bly, make quite an extensive tour.
Buttermilk as Drink.
THail,s journal of Health,l